Combined wire stretcher



(N M d 1.) v v 0 0 G J. P.]HAYS & H; E. CLEMENS. UOMBINED WIRE STRETGHER, TIGHTENER, AND SPLIGER. No. 400,67

Patented Apr, 2, 1889L hv PETERS, Phomulha m h wuhiu mmu c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Er ca JAMES PfI-IAYS AND HENRY E. CLEMENS, OF VELLSVILLE, KANSAS.

COMBINED WIRE STRETCHER, TIGHTENER, AND SPLICER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,676, dated April 2, 1889.

Application'filed September 24, 1888. Serial No. 286,238. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES P. HAYS and HENRY E. CLEMENS, both residents of Wellsville, in the county 'of Franklin and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Wire Stretcher, Splicer, and Tightener; and we do hereby .declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a combined wire stretcher, splicer, and tightener to be usedin the construction of wire fences.

The object is to produce a device which will permit one man to do the work of two or more men with facility and case -that is, to stretch the wire, tighten it, or-splice it, as may be desired. Furthermore, to produce a device which will be simple of construction, efficient, and durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production.

With these objects in View the invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of a Wire-stretcher, as will be hereinafter more fully described in the specification, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device complete. Fig. 2 is a perspective view taken on the opposite side of that shown in Fig. 1, showing the manner of splicing two wires which may have been broken. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View showing the ratchet mechanism for operating the tightening device. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the lever for operating the said ratchet, and Fig. 5 is a de-.

tail view of the clamp to be used in splicing or stretching.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the frame of the device, which, as seen in the drawings, is bent at one end to form an arm, 1, extending at substantially right angles to the top portion .of the device. Upon the arm 1, and preferably at the end of the same and at the curved portion 2, are secured two yokes, 3 and 3, in which are mounted pulleys 4 and 4, pivoted upon suitable bearings, 5, within the said yokcs. At the opposite end of the frame is secured an L-shaped arm, 6, having its outer end provided with an opening, in which fits a shaft, '7, carrying a reel, 8, on which is wound a rope or chain, 7 which passes around the pulleys 4 4', so as to keep it out of contact with post A. Thelowerportion of the shaft 7 extends through the frame, as shown at 9, and rests in a support, 10, secured to the inner side of the frame. On the lower portion of this shaft is secured a ratchetwheel, 11., designed to be engaged by a st-ationary pawl, 12, secured to a lever, B, the end of which lever is provided with an oblong slot, 13, adapted to move on the lower end of the shaft '7, so as to enable the operator to rotate the lever without the necessity of a springpawl, which ma be done readily by drawing the lever out when the stroke has been made and pushing it in when a fresh stroke is to be made. The ratchet-wheel is held in place by means of a spring-pawl, 14, secured to the side of the frame.

To the outer sideof the support 10 are secured two arms, 15, having attached to them a yoke, 16, in which fits a clamp or block, 17, which is designed to be used when two .wires are to be spliced. The arms must be of suflicient length to bring the clamp in line with the pulley 4., otherwise the rope or chain 7 would bind against the fence-post when the device is operated. This will be readily understood by referring to Fig. 1.

O designates a stop which slides upon the frame, and is designed to prevent the frames swinging around when the lever B is oper ated by the point 0 binding against the said frame, thus forming a frictional stop.

D designates a clamp, either for holding the wire in place when it is to be secured to the post or for drawing the ends of the wire together when they are to be spliced. This clamp is constructed with two flanges, 18, in which fits and moves a wedge, 1Q, which, when drawn out, rests against the inner faces of the flanges 18, and thus serves to hold the wire in place.

E E designate two guides, which are secured to the frame of the deviccone to the clamp D and the other to theyoke 3. The object for which they are designed will be explained farther on.

Having thus described the various parts of this device, we will now proceed to explain its method of operation.

\Vhen this device is to be used in constructing a fence, and for drawing the wires tight, the arm 1 is placed on one side of the post, and the stop is pushed up against it, thus holding the device in place. The clamp D is secured to the end of the wire, and the lever 13 is operated, thereby turning the ratchet wheel and with it the reel containing the rope. As the lever is operated the wire will be drawn past the post, and will be held firmly in place until the staples are driven over it, thus securing it in place. The clamp is then loosened and the device carried to the next post, where the same operation is repeated, and so on until the wires at each of the posts have been secured. In order to prevent the device from being swung around when the lever is operated, the wire secured to the clamp I) is passed through the guide E, as will be understood by referring to the drawings. hen the device is to be used for splicing, one end of the broken wire is passed under the clamp 17, and this is then driven in, thereby firmly securing the wire in place. The clamp D is then secured to the other wire, and by turning the ratchetwheel, as before described, the two ends will be drawn past each other a sufficient distance to allow them to be spliced, and then by driving back the clamp or block 17 and loosening the clamp D, the device may readily be detached from the wires. \Vhen the splicing is being done, the wire is passed through both the guides E and 1, so as to keep the wires in line.

for tightening loosened wires, the same method \Vhen it is desired to use the device is adopted as in constructing a new fence. It will thus be seen that although this device is exceedingly simple of construction, it will be found highly efficient and durable in use 1 for the purposes described, and may be con- 1 structed at a slight expense, and that one man, by using this device, will be enabled to 1 do the work of two or more.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of the frame, a shaft, a reel mounted on the shaft, a ratchet-wheel and a lever for operating the reel, arms secured to the frame and forming a bearing for the said shaft, a yoke secured to the arms, and a clamp working in the yoke, substantially as described.

2. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of the frame curved at one end, pulleys secured to the said curved portion, a reel mounted on a shaft at the other end of the frame, a ratchet wheel and lever for operating the reel, and a clamp or block supported on the frame, substantially as described.

3. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of the frame curved at one end, pulleys secured to the said curved portion, a shaft at the other end of the frame, a reel mounted on the shaft, a rope or chain passing from the reel around the said pulleys, a clamp secured to the rope, a ratchet-wheel and a lever for operating the reel, and a clamp or block supported on the frame, substantially as described.

4. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of the frame curved at one end, pulleys secured to the said curved portion, a reel mounted on a shaft at the other end of the frame, a ratchetwheel and lever for operating the reel, a clamp or block supported on the frame opposite the reel, and guides secured to the clamp and to the curved portion of the frame, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES P. HAYS. HENRY E. CLEMENS.

\Vitnesses:

E. E. IIADDIS, A. L. EROOKING. 

